Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Kingston vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,118 per month in Kingston vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,957 per month in Kingston vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Kingston costs about 33% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kingston and Medellin sit above the global median – Kingston by 66%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.20 CA$21.03

$8.03 COP 25.1K

89.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 CA$88.8

$48.26 COP 150.8K

33.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.49 CA$15.90

$9.77 COP 30.5K

17.60%

Cappuccino

$3.47 CA$4.81

$2.91 COP 9,095

19.24%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 CA$2.91

$1.94 COP 6,074

8.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 CA$1.82

$1.52 COP 4,754

-13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 CA$8.32

$3.09 COP 9,663

94.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.21 CA$8.60

$5.74 COP 17.9K

8.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.83

$1.36 COP 4,262

50.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 CA$3.59

$2.39 COP 7,460

8.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CA$4.54

$1.70 COP 5,314

92.94%

Eggs

$3.07 CA$4.25

$2.87 COP 8,967

6.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 CA$14.57

$9.94 COP 31.1K

5.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.43 CA$15.82

$10.78 COP 33.7K

6.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.14 CA$14.03

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-31.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.22

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-25.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.58

$1.57 COP 4,911

-27.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 CA$4.96

$2.13 COP 6,642

68.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.07

$2.21 COP 6,917

66.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.55

$2.05 COP 6,396

60.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CA$3.15

$1.50 COP 4,700

51.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$1.19 COP 3,718

128.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.27

$1.16 COP 3,619

41.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.44 CA$18.60

$3.90 COP 12.2K

244.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.04 CA$16.66

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-16.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CA$3.10

$1.58 COP 4,948

41.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.52

$2.83 COP 8,836

15.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 CA$3.60

$1.17 COP 3,650

123.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.9 CA$80.1

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-25.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 CA$4.62

$1.28 COP 4,014

160.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 CA$2.09

$2.09 COP 6,537

-27.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.10 CA$44.41

$8.62 COP 26.9K

272.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 CA$1.48

$1.30 COP 4,056

-17.69%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.7K CA$39.8K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

3.90%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$19.8K CA$27.4K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-44.27%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$121 CA$168

$176 COP 550.1K

-31.06%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$39.59 CA$54.8

$13.37 COP 41.8K

196.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 CA$91.5

$29.89 COP 93.4K

121.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.84 CA$39.91

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-35.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.82 CA$12.21

$17.06 COP 53.3K

-48.30%

Cinema Ticket

$10.65 CA$14.73

$6.20 COP 19.4K

71.77%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$537 CA$743

$793 COP 2.5M

-32.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 CA$73.5

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-37.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.59 CA$46.48

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-42.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 CA$115

$136 COP 425.9K

-39.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.9 CA$122

$103 COP 322.2K

-14.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,559 CA$2,158

$1,060 COP 3.3M

47.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 CA$1,702

$680 COP 2.1M

81.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,393 CA$3,311

$2,012 COP 6.3M

18.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 CA$2,221

$1,169 COP 3.7M

37.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,500 CA$4,843

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-14.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 CA$3,503

$1,701 COP 5.3M

48.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,064 CA$4,240

$665 COP 2.1M

360.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.61

10.94

-57.86%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kingston: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,559 in Kingston versus $1,060 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 361% higher in Kingston, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Kingston versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $303 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kingston vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,280 in Kingston, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 33% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,420 per month in Kingston and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,280 in Kingston and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 34% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Kingston at $2,280. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,716 in Medellin to $2,280 in Kingston. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kingston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.